Railroad-crossing device.



J. W. MATTHEWS.

RAILROAD CROSSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY26H1915.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- In ms 71 t0 r.-

THFE COLUAABIA PLAQIQGRAPH CO., WASHINGTON. D. C

J. W. MATTHEWS.

RAILROAD CROSSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 19:5.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 A 3% wk 1% m THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm. WASHINGTON, n. C,

Joan w. MATTHEWS, or DIFFICULT, TENNESSEE.

RAILROAD-CROSSING Device.

Application filed May 26, 1915. Serial No. 30,640?

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, JOHN WV. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the'United States, residing. at Difficult, in the county of Smith and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Crossing Device, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be employed for automatically rendering continuous, 'in advance of an approaching train, the track uponwhich the train is traveling, the device being adapted to be used where a pair of tracks intersect.

The invention aims to provide novel means for rendering tracks continuous at the point of crossing, and to providea novel wheel actuated mechanism whereby movable rail sections located at the points where the tracks cross, may be shifted.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

71th the above and other objects in view which will appear asthe description proceeds, the invention resides inthe combina tion and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In'the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 shows the device in top'plan. Fig. 2 shows a vertical section of one base member, a vertical section of one rotatable member and a gap in railroad. Fig. 3, the lever mechanism. Fig. A, a portion of right-angledcrank arm with roller, clevis and nut. Fig. 5, the capsule-comp'ression-spring-mecha nism, and Fig. 6, the. compression-springmechanism. a

In the accompanying drawings, is shown a pair of intersecting tracks indicated respectively by reference characters A and B, it being understood that the tracks A and B may intersect at any oblique" angle. The track A comprises rails 1 and 2, thetrack B comprising rails 3 and at. A guard rail 5 extends between the rotatable'members 14 and 13, and adjacent the track rail, a guard rail 20 extends from the rotatable member 1% toward the lever mechanism and adjacent the track rail."

; TED srawnnr onion. 3 i

Located at the angle defined by the rails 1' and 3 Visa base 7 having a lower recess 8,

an intermediaterecess 9, an upper recess .10

of successively increasing diameters as will be evident from Fig. 2. A rotatable member 14; is carried; by thebase 7, the rotatable member being supported on" a shaft 15 assembled with the base 7 v For the lubrication of the rotatable member 14, an oil hole is provided, the same being closed by a cap 17.

'The rotatable member 14. comprises a body 23 conforming to the recess 8, a shoulder 2% conforming tothe recess 9, and a flange 25 conforming to the rim of base 7 and the gap or recess"'10*in the projection,

of the base 7. Interposed between the rotatable member 14 and the base 7 are'antifriction devices such as balls 18. In the projection'of the base 7 are formed grooves 26 receiving the track rail and the guard rail 20, a secondgroove 26,0n the projection of the base '7, being adapted to receive the corresponding track'rail and theguard rail 5 which extends between the rotatable members It and 13.

member 1% but terminate adj acent' its periphery.

The rotatable member 14 is provided with a groove 16'receiving rail sections 6 and a,

located side by side. The rotatable member 5 is pivoted at Toto rotatablemember '14:, and slides withinv a sleeve 28. Interposed between oneend'of the'sl'eeve 29 and a partition in the sleeve 28 is a compression-f The rails 120 and l'5 do notextend acrossthe rotatable spring 30. The sleeve 34: is threaded on to a stem 32, and pivoted at 35t'o a fixed sup-Q port 27 .Intermediate its ends, the stem 32 is provided with wrench receiving shoulders 83"whereby the stemj32 maybe rotated in the sleeve .34: thereby securing an ad ustv ment'of the spring 30. It will now "beun-f derstood that the. structure'shownfin' 5 constitutes a .capsule-compression-spring mechanism which stands obliquely against pivot A6,"and in opposition tothe compression-spring-mechanism herein after "described. Projecting from the rotatable member 14' is" anarm 44: adapted .to' .coact successively with" compression-springs 43 be sul'ficiently strong to overcome any tend ency which springs 43 might have. to rotate the rotatable members 13 and 14, the operation of the flange of a second car wheel, a third car wheel and so on, on the levermechanism, in conjunction with the capsule-compression-spring-mechanism, would tend to reconcile the rotatable members to the desired position, should springs 43 be sufiiciently strong to rotate the rotatable members after the operation of the lever mechanism by the flange of the first car wheel.

Coacting with the rails 2 and 4 is a rotatable member 14 of the sort hereinbefore described and mounted as hereinbefore mentioned, the rotatable member carrying rall sections 6 and a.

structed and mounted like the rotatable member 14, saving for the fact that two pivots 22 and 22, two pivots 19 and 19 and one pivot 46 may be omitted, and one rail section 6 is added. The rotatable member 13 carries rail sections 6a6.

A rotatable member 13, constructed like the first rotatable member 13 mentionechcooperates with rails 1 and 4 and carries section-rails 6a6. At the angle defined by the rails 1 and 3, the rail section a, on the rotatable member, is adapted to cooperate with the rail 1 or with the rail 3 and the rail section 6 cooperates with the guard rails 5 and 20. At the angle defined by the rails 2 and 4, the rail sections 6, on the rotatable member, is adapted to. cooperate with the, guard rails 5 and 20, the rail section a cocperating with the rail 2 or with the rail 4. At the angle defined by the rails l and 4, the rail sectiona, on the rotatable member, cooperates with the rail 1 or with the rail 4, and the rail section 6 cooperates with the guard rails 5; At the angle defined by the rails 2.and 3, the rail section a, on the rotatable member, cooperates with the rail 2 or with the rail 3, and the rail sections 6 cooperate with the guard rail 5.

Connections in the form of rods and 70 extends between the rotatable members 14 and 14 and are pivoted at their-ends thereto. rod 69 is pivotallyunited with the rota- A rotatable member 13' cooperates with the rails 2 and 3 and 1s con- A connection in .the form of a table member 14 and is pivotally united with the rotatable member 13 located respectivelyat the angles defined by the rails 1 and 3, l and 4. A connection in the form of a rod 69 is pivotally united with the rotatable member 14 and is pivotally united with the rotatable member 13, located respectively at the angles defined by the rails 2- and 4, l and 4. A connection in the form of a rod 69 is pivotally united withthe rotatable member 14 and is pivotally united with the rotatable member 13, located respectively at the angles defined by the rails 2 and 4, 2 and 3. A connection in the form of a rod 69 is pivotally united with the rotatable member 14 and is pivotally united with the rotatable member 13,10- cated respectively at the angles defined by'the rails 1 and 3, 2 and 3. A fixed support 47 is provided and upon this support is mounted to swing a lever 46 comprising arms 49, 50 and 51. A spring 53 forms a connection between the arm 49 and a. fixed anchor A flexible element such as a chain 52 connects the arm 50 with the rotatable menu. ber 14. Pivotally connected with the arm 51 of the lever 48 is a connection in the; form of a rod extending parallel to the.

rail 1.

A, lever mechanism is provided for operat'-. m the connection 55. andtlns oortion of the structure is shown in detail in Fig. 3,;

wherein it will be observed that the connection 55 is pivotally united with a crank arm 56, upstanding, from one end of a shaft 57 journaled in bearings 58. The shaft 'eX- tends transversely 01: the rail 1 and is pro-.

vided with a socket in which is mounted to slide for adjustment, an arm-59 held in placeby a set screw.

The arm 59 is rightangled at 61 carrying a clevis 65 and a roller 64. A wheel engaging lever 62 extends longitudinally of the rail 1 and rests on the roller 64 within the contourof the clevis 65, the lever be ing supported on. a shaft 63 carried by bearings 66. lntermedlate its ends, the lever 62 is arched upwardly as shown atYl, so as toextend above the rail 1 and to the side of rail and on the insideof the track, and to'lie in the path offthe flange of a wheel of a passing.railwayvehicle. At one end, the lever 62' carries a counter-weight 72. Disposed'adjaoent the rail 3 is a wheel actuated mechanism, adjacent the rail 2 is a wheel actuated mechanism, and an'actuating mechanism is located adjacent the rail 4. The actuating mechanisms adjacent the rails 3, 2 and 4 need not be described in detail, since they are duplicates of thelever mechanism shown in Fig.3.

Presupposing that 'atrain is approaching the crossing on track A, a wheel of the locomotive rides onto the arched lever 62 and tilts the same on its fulcrum- 63, and :the 139 lever 62, coacting with the roller 64 rotates the shaft 57 through the medium ofjthe arm 59, it being noted that the throw may be adjusted by moving thearm 59 in the socket. From theshaft 57, motion is transmitted to the connection 55 through the arm 56. The connection 55' tilts the lever {l8 by means of the arm 51, and the arm 50 of the lever 48, through the means of the chain 52 rotates the rotatable member 1% on the shaft 15.' When the rotatable member 14: is rotated in the manner hereinbefore described, the rail section a is moved out of alinement with the rail 3 and is moved into alinement with the rail 1, the rail section 6 moving out of alinement with the guard rails 5 and 20, adjacent the rail 3, and into alinement with the guard rails 5 and 20, of rail 1. From the rotatable member'l, motion is transmitted to a second rotatable member let by way of the connections and 70, the rail section a, moving out of alinement with the rail 4 and into alinement with the rail 2, the rail section 6 moving out of alinement with the guard rails 5 and 20 adjacent rail 4, and into alinement with the guard rails 5 andjQO adjacent rail 2. From the rotatable members 14: and 1st, motion is transmitted to the rotatable member 13 located at the anglej defined by the rails 1 and 4, through the elements 69 and 69, the rail section a moving out of alinement with the rail 4 and into alinement with the J rail 1, and a rail section 6 moving out of alinement with the guard rail 5 adjacent rail t; and, a section rail 6, on the opposite side of section rail a moving into alinement with the guard rail 5 of rail 1. From the rotatable members 14 and .14, motion is transmitted to the rotatable memberl located at the angle defined by therails 2 and 3, through the connections 69 and 69, the rail section a moving out of alinement with the rail 3 and into alinement with the rail 2, and the rail section 6 moving out of alinement with the guard rail 5, adjacent rail 3; and, the rail section 6, on 'the opposite side of the section rail a, moving into alinement with the guard rail 5, adjacent rail 2. Thus it will be seen that when a train approaches the crossing, the crossing will be set in advance of the train, to afford a continuous track. The above operation,

described, takes place in connection with all of the fourtrack branches shown in Fig.

1, when a train approaches the crossing on any of the said branches.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. In a device of the class described, a pair of intersecting tracks comprising rails;

. a rotatable member journaled at the angle defined by the rails; a rail section carried bythe rotatable member and adapted to be alined with the respective rails when the rotatable "member is operated; operating means for rotating the rotatable member; an arm projecting from the rotatable member; and opposed springs with which the arm successively coacts, the springs constituting a resilient bufieting mechanism for the rotatable member, substantially as described. V

V 2. In a device of the class described, a pair ot intersecting tracks comprising rails;

a rotatable member journaled at'the angle defined by the rails; a rail section carried by the rotatable member and adapted to be alined with the respective rails when the rotatable member is operated; operating means for rotating'therotatable member;

a rotatable member journaled at the angle defined by the railsg'a rail section carried by the rotatable memberand adapted to be alined with .thefrespective rails when the rotatable member is' operated; operating means for rotating the rotatable member; an arm projecting from the rotatable member;.and opposed springs withxwhich the and means for adjusting the arm successively coacts, the springs constituting a resilientbufieting mechanism for the rotatable member; and means forad justing the springs, substantially as described.

In a device of the class described, a

' pair of intersecting tracks comprising rails; V

a base located at the angle defined by the rails; a rotatable member journaled on the base; a rail section carried by the rotatable member and adapted to be alined with the respective rails when the rotatable member is operated; operating means for rotating.

the rotatable member; an arm projectingfrom the rotatable member; and opposed springs with which the arm successively c'oacts, the springs constituting a resilient buf 7 teting mechanism for the rotatable memher; a resilient telescoping structure pivotally assembled with the rotatable member 6 and constituting means for holding the engaging elements incoacting relation; and means torplvotally supporting the telescoping structure, substantially as described. r

5. In a device or" the class described a 1 u c n n I pairof'mtersectmg tracks comprlsmg rails;

' a base located at the angle defined by the rails; a rotatable'member journaled on the base: a rail section carried by the rotatable member and adapted to be alined with the respective rails when the rotatable member is operated; operating means for rotating the rotatable member; an arm projectingfrom the rotatable member; and opposed assembled with the rotatable member and constituting 'means for holding the engaging elements in coacting relation; and. means for pivotally supporting the telescoping structure, substantially as described.

6. In a: device of the class described, a pair of intersecting tracks comprising rails; a base located at the angle defined by the rails; a rotatable member journaled on the base; a rail section carried by the rotatable member and adapted to be alined With the respective rails when the rotatable member is operated; operating. means for rotating the rotatable member; an arm projecting from the rotatable member; and opposed springs with which the arm successively coacts, the springs constituting a resilient buffeting mechanism for the rotatable memher; a resilient telescoping structure pivotally assembled With the rotatable member and constituting means for holding the engaging elements in coacting relation; and means for pivotally supporting the telescoping structure, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, a pair of intersecting tracks comprising rails; a rotatable member journaled at the angle defined by the rails; a rail section carried by the rotatable member and adapted to be Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents}? tatable member; a springjconnected with another arm of the lever; means for anchoring the springs; alconnection united 1 With the thirdarm of the lever; and Wheel operated means located adJacent one rall.

and operatively united with the connection, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class describeth'a pair of intersecting tracks comprising rails; a rotatable member Journaled at the angle defined by the rails; a rail section carried by the rotatable member and. adapted to be alined With the respective rails When the rotatable memberis operated; a shaft journaled transversely ofone rail? and provided: with one stationary crank arm and With one adjustable crank arm; means for connecting the stationary crank arm With the rotatable member; a lever extending along one rail, on the inside of the track, and operated by the flange of a Wheel of a railway vehicle; a fulcrum for the lever; and means for operatively connecting the lever With the adjustable crank: arm, substantially as described. 7

JOHN W". MATTHEWS.

Witnesses: I 1

Gnovnn C. RUssELL, DOAK K. RUSSELL.

Washington, D. G. 

